No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
Comment la culture vient aux femmes à la naissance de leur bébé ?
Fathers in exile and the perinatal period
The role of fathers in situations of exile during the perinatal period raises numerous issues that have an impact on care practices. These issues are influenced by the evolution of the models of fatherhood in our society, and by the impact of migration and exile on fathers. In this article, we describe two clinical cases, derived from two different care provision systems, to cast light on the role of fathers in situations of exile, and the challenges that arise. These two cases are set against the present literature on fathers in exile in the perinatal period. The conclusion reached is that the implication of fathers in exile is possible, and is based on a psychic dimension, the “paternal space”, in the early triangulation with the baby. It is within this space that professionals can encourage exiled fathers to take on their role of fatherhood and their fathering functions.
Growing up in the setting of migration
The E.M.I.E. team (Nancy) receives mothers and their babies in a monthly group session for which the objective is to support mothers who have been made vulnerable because of migration and sometimes because of situations of psychological and/or social vulnerability. The group provides an inclusive and caring shell for mothers, babies and co-mothers that allows each of them to express their difficulties, their experiences, and also to find or rediscover their own potentialities, their sometimes forgotten, neglected, or undervalued know-how, and thus to reconnect with their cultural mothering practices. The group allows exchanges to take place on representations of children’s needs and the care that should be provided to them. The sense of belonging to the group helps to reinforce the narcissism of the mothers and helps their babies to deploy the energy to discover the world in complete safety.
L’atelier « Accueil du nouveau-ne et parentalite » est un dispositif a mediation propose dans un centre d’accueil de demandeurs d’asile (cada). La mediation est donc utilisee en tant qu’outil de soin therapeutique a la croisee des champs cliniques de l’exil et de la perinatalite. En appui sur le groupe, ses fonctions et les objets culturels en place de medium, le dispositif vise a reinstaurer de la continuite face a la discontinuite induite par l’exil d’une part et les remaniements psychiques lies a la maternite d’autre part. Creer des liens entre le passe et le present, l’ici et l’ailleurs, le corps et la psyche, la mere et son bebe, et ainsi restaurer la continuite de soi et dans le rapport a l’autre, sont autant d’elements qui circonscrivent les indications. Partant de situations cliniques, les auteurs montrent comment l’espace transitionnel cree permet la revalorisation des competences parentales et accompagne la construction de la relation mere-bebe grâce a un metissage des pratiques.